Can I run a 50Hz

50Hz motor on 60Hz

60Hz?
Hz?
Induction motors use an iron core and require flux in the iron to
operate. In order to achieve the commercial goals of smallest size
and lowest price at best efficiency, induction motors are
designed to operate at a high level of flux in the iron. The flux is
determined by the turns, voltage and frequency. In a modern
motor, if the flux is increased by a small amount, the iron losses
increase and the iron tends towards saturation. At saturation, the
inductance begins to fall and the current increases further. To
reduce the flux at a given voltage and frequency, the turns on the
stator are increased. This reduces the Iron loss, but a longer
length of thinner wire is used and the copper loss increases.
Design becomes a balancing act between copper loss and iron
loss and so the design is optimised for a given voltage and
frequency.

If the voltage applied to the motor is held constant and the

frequency is increased, the inductive reactance increases and so
the flux reduces. This effectively reduces the maximum torque
capacity of the motor and so the motor power rating at the higher
frequency remains the same.

If the voltage applied to the motor is held constant and the

frequency is reduced, the current will increase and in theory, the
torque will also increase. The motor should be able to deliver the
same power also, BUT the flux in the iron is now too high
resulting in excessive iron loss, and the motor will fail
prematurely. Above a very low frequency, (5 - 10Hz) the
impedance of the magnetizing circuit of the motor is primarily
inductive and so in order to keep the flux within limits, it is
important to keep a linear V/F ratio (Voltage to Frequency ratio).
If the frequency is reduced by 10%, the voltage must also be
reduced by 10%. Because the flux in the iron remains the same,
the torque capacity remains the same and so the power rating of
the motor also drops by 10%.
Provided the voltage is increased by the same proportion as the
frequency,
frequency, it is OK to run a 50Hz
50Hz motor on 60Hz
60Hz.
Hz. The speed will
be increased by the increase in frequency and the power capacity
will also increases by the increase in frequency.

60 Hz 50 Hz
Volts Volts
480 400
460 383
440 367
230 191

Can I run a 50hz motor on 60hz and 60hz motors on 50hz are
incorrect.
Motors are designed to operate within a limited
voltage and frequency variation. Voltage variation at motor
nameplate frequency must be within plus or minus 10percent and
frequency variations at motor nameplate voltage must be within
plus or minus 5 percent. The combined variation of voltage and
frequency must be limited to the arithmetic sum of 10percent.
What is important is the flux density ratio, which is the ratio of
line voltage over line frequency. FDR for a 460/3/60 is 7.67vhz. If
this motor was to operate on 380/3/60 which has a FDR of 6.33
the percent variation is 17percent which is above the 10 percent
arithmetic variation allowed so a 460-3-60 motor could not
operate on 380-3-60. Again if a European 415-3-50 motor with an
FDR of 8.3vhz was to operate on 460-3-60 with a FDR of 7.66vhz
this would be okay as the percent variation is 8.35 percent which
is below the 10 percent allowable arithmetic variation. If the
motor was to operate on 400-3-60 with a FDR of 6.66vhz the
variation is 25 percent so the motor could not be used as the
variation is way above the 10 percent maximum arithmetic
variation. If the flux density ratio is not checked and the variation
is above 10 percent, then undoubtedly the motor may well run
above its allowable temperature rise for the insulation class and
speed plus pull up plus pull out torque plus PF plus slip plus FLC
will all be effected adversely. Do not listen to anyone who advises
50hz motors can run on 60hz or 60hz can run on 50hz, check the
flux density ratio.

The important parameter is the flux density and

provided that this is equal to the design flux density, there is no
problem. V/Hz for a 460 Volt 60Hz motor equals 7.67 The V/Hz at
380V 50Hz is 7.6 so there is no problem running the 460V 60Hz
motor on 380V 50Hz provided that the power is reduced by the
speed ratio same as for 415 Volt 50Hz motor equals 8.3vhz The
V/Hz at 460V 60Hz is 7.66Hz which is below 10% which is okay to
operate.